Filed under: Food
Travelling affords me the luxury to read books. My latest being a biography of one Marie Antoine Careme, written by Ian Kelly. Cooking for Kings, the life of Antonin Careme, the First Celebrity Chef was an insightful read.
I got to learn a lot about one of the forefather’s of haute cuisine. I never knew the man was famous first as a patissier then as a chef. His story is one of an abandoned child who goes onto feed some famous people including Napoleon, Tsar Alexander, George IV. Yet his story is also one that’s kinda sad, in the sense that he lived his life in horrible conditions and had few friends, breaking off relations with his family up until he was about to die even. His grave was unmarked and nothing is known of his one daughter.
This was the dude that invented the souffle, categorised the sauces, introduced the chef’s hat among several other things, advocating service a la russe despite tending, nationalistically to opt for service a la francaise. He’s the complete perfectionist, self absorbed, lonely and talented beyond imagination.
The book itself is very readable. Kelly manages to really bring these characters from the late 18th to 19th century to life in this book quite well. Going through the book was like a trip through history and all the cities involved. I sort of wish I’d been able to see it with my own eyes although I’m thankful I don’t have to suffer the plague and endless wars.
There’s also quite a few illustrations, some by Careme himself. Apparently, he was a wannabe architect. These and the wonderful recipes color the book.
I think I might do his souffle one day. Here’s the recipe.
Souffle aux Fraises – Hull a large basket of fresh strawberries, crush them and press them through a sieve. Mix a pound and half of powdered sugar with 18 stiffly beaten egg whites. Stir in the strawberry puree. Pour the mixture into a croustade of eleven inches diameter surrounded by buttered papers. Put the souffle in a moderate oven and gibe it a good hour’s cooking. When it is ready to serve, put red-hot cinders on a large metal baking sheet. Take the souffle from the oven and place it on the hot cinders so it stays puffed. Meanwhile cover it with powdered sugar and glaze it with a red-hot iron, then carry it very quickly to the dining room. Set it on the platter, which should be covered with a fine damask napkin. Remove the paper holding up the souffle and serve at once. Souffles of raspberries, gooseberries, mirabelle and greengage plums the same.
Filed under: Australia, Culture, Environment, Melbourne, Music, Politics, Thoughts, Travel
I think it was something like 46000 (confirmed on BDO webby) I heard mentioned on the local radio on my ride to the airport as I left Melbourne. Big Day Out was my main event and it was not to disappoint.
I smelt more spliffs and joints @ Flemington race course than I did regular cigarettes which was a good thing. The beer (Toohey’s extra dry) was pretty awful. I somehow remember almost enjoying them in bottle form when I was in Sydney but the cans sold @ BDO were fucking awful. Piss could pass off better as beer. The food was ok I suppose. I didn’t expect nor wanted restaurant fare. This stall that sold Dutch pancakes (essentially mini pancakes) was not too bad even if the dough was slightly undercooked. The toilets were ok though. Better than expected although I went once only and I went early. The crowd getting home was quite mad really. Imagine 46000 people squeezing onto the trains and a cut off time of 11.15. Carl Cox’s set finished at 11 by the by. Still, it wasn’t anything remotely close to Shanghai’s trains on a daily basis. Something about Australians being polite and stuff I suppose. Plenty of kids did climb fences and fall in pursuit of getting on the first train but nothing offensive really. The worst thing though might’ve been the venue itself. Flemington race course is fucking dusty. In the middle, right where they have amusement rides, its like a fucking desert, chomped off Las Vegas and dropped onto Melbourne. My Skulls were khaki from the knee down.
Water sprinkling tower helped to keep temperatures in check.
Still, nothing would detract from the show that was to unfold. And what a show! We went a little late, at round 2. Some acts started at 10 or 11. The only thing I can say I would have missed was Kate Nash’s set, although I got some consolation for that.
5 mins in and I’d gotten all the essentials. Drink tickets, drinking age wristband and show program with map and timetable. Efficiency is the key.
First act we checked out turned out to be none other than the UK’s finest, Dizzee Rascal. Rascal rocked the place I thought, spitfire rhymin and grimin. It was pretty awesome, even if the “act” was a little scripted in feel, like when DJ Semtex said the crowd don’t want no more and then Rascal says yes they still got time for one more song and the crowd cheers.
The UK’s finest, Mr. Rascal.
Next up, were Gyroscope, who were quite ok. We left when my mate wanted to hit the loo. At that point my ears pricked up when I heard a crowd laughing. Then I checked my program and realized Billy Bragg was playing none too far away. In between songs, the man laid out his mantras on world peace and how Howard sucked and hopefully Australia will do better under Rudd, how Aussies should support Rudd and remember Howard was awful etc. He was quite a bit preachy and I think this set the tone for the entire festival really. Still, he did his political folk/punk thing which was quite good. The highlight was when Bragg introduced Kate Nash on stage and they sang a duet of sorts. Woowee, she’s so cute, especially when she did the most adorable “muak” kiss. Oh and her voice was awesome as well.
The lovely Kate Nash and Mr. Bragg.
Next, we headed for Pnau. Along the way, we chanced on a pretty good soulstress singing on top of a van with a DJ and 4 gyrating, half naked girls. Also, there was some sort of mad band that played at the Lilyworld stage that had guys in puffy, neu-rave suits with oversized glasses, top hats and assorted miscellany. I think they played some kind of kitschy dance music but I can’t remember. Think Henrik Vibskov’s most unwearable pieces come to life only without the style.
Pnau was fabulous. Very danceable. They also had a lot of colorful mascots on stage to add to the fun factor. Throughout the show, they also did a “get the crowd to go low and then rise up as the music got red hot” thing. Rockin’. Some dude did try to storm the stage but was denied by 4 or 5 security personnel who flung him onto the floor inches from me. The poor guy clutched onto his wayfarers, clearly showing where his priorities lay. The only bad thing was, after that, this very cute chick next to me left before anything really fun happened. Damn. Must go to Pnau shows more.
One half of Pnau & Friends.
At 530 , we realized suddenly that Arcade Fire was taking the stage like half a click away, so we left the funny mascots, ran across the dust covered desert and managed to get to a half decent view of the place. They’d only just started which was fine but they were at the main stage area, which was freaking crowded. Sort of poignant when they started to play “No Cars Go”. At which point, I realized that we had to pretty much stick around here or be completely fucked when Bjork was on show, or Rage for that matter. Fire were fantastic though and comparetively, quite minimal in their political mentions.
Some Canadian goodness called Arcade Fire.
After Arcade Fire, I popped over to the merch and bought an Arcade Fire tee. I actually wanted one with their Neon Bible artwork but stumped for the one with my size, with the organ pipes instead. There was also a monochrome version of the Battles tee I was wearing and a nuns Rage tee I wanted that didn’t have my size. We had a quick dinner, which included the Dutch pancakes earlier and then tried our best to squeeze back to the main stage area and get a place for Bjork. It was fucking hard to find anywhere. The area closest to the stage had been closed off by the time Arcade Fire were playing so basically, we were on the outside of that, which was still packed. All this means I was sacrificing LCD Soundsystem, who I like immensely, and also Battles, who I’d seen before at least. Sad but true. The ethical dilemma of music festivals I suppose.
Token Silverchair pic. They played after Arcade Fire and apparently, some of the crowd didn’t like them too much.
Bjork had me worried though. I had no idea if she would take the stage even, although no one said anything about so I assumed it was gonna happen. And happen she did. A marching band came out and soon after, the Princess of Pixies bust out “Earth Intruders”. When she finished, she said the most awesomest, cutest, thank you ever on the face of earth. She was also incredibly beautiful and cute. And beautiful. Next up were some tracks off Homogenic, which basically left me completely mesmerized. You could tell her voice was on edge, particularly when she croaked a bit on “Cover Me”. Still she was fucking mesmerizing. I was and continue to be blown away by her voice, its still ringing in my ears like. She was amazing and busted out her political bend when she dedicated “Declare Independence” to the indigenous peoples of Australia. The mostly white crowd cheered, somewhat oblivious to the irony or perhaps in support of her intentions. I had my doubts and laughed nervously, quietly. The music was what triumphed in the end I guess. And how spectacular it was. The video walls proffered a better view from my location, stuck behind some old, sideways shaking twit with a hat.
The goddess herself.
The wizards behind the sound. The guy in the video manipulated the sound as he dragged bits and pieces from the side in a show of interactive art and music. Awesome.
Finally, the main event for much of the crowd arrived, at round 9. Rage Against The Machine, reformed and revived. Ok, so LCD Soundsystem and later Carl Cox (seriously, why the fuck did LCD have to play then?) were to perform around the same time as well but almost everyone was at Rage. We tried our best to snake our way from the top end of the Bjork stage to the bottom end of the Rage one next to it, one big bloody circle. Along the way, some loofy bird was taking her kit off on the roof of one of the nearby structures. Then some dude climbed a tree in hopes of a better view, only to be pelted with empty drink bottles. Ultimately the place was seriously crowded and the trees were as well. Everywhere, people just chanting “rage! rage! rage!” or “we want rage!”.
Homo Rageus.
Apparently that’s RATM, although it could possibly be Alvin & The Chipmunks from this range.
They were true to form. Anarchic, political. Zach de la Rocha bust out his rhymes in typically venomous fashion and the kids were going nuts. I couldn’t quite see the mosh from where I was but from what has been said, it was insane. I was close-ish to the stage and video wall for arcade fire. Slightly less than that for Bjork and lost at sea for Rage. I think the extent and gravity of the situation was made known to me as I felt these vibrations under the soles of my feet. It was like a mini earthquake and I was a little itty bitty part of it. When de la Rocha did his manifesto preaching bit, I couldn’t actually quite hear what the fuck he said exactly but hey, the crowd certainly dug it. The climax was probably “Killing In The Name Of”, which had like everyone going bonkers.
Zapatista Zach de la Rocha.
Guitar God Tom Morello.
All in all, I’d say I had an awesome time and it was definitely a Big day out for me. I wish I had a better videocam. Much of the vids I shot came out complete crap. I could barely make out any members of Arcade Fire nevermind RATM. I was just too damn far away. The sound is ok but there’s nothing to see, which is kinda sad! Anyway, I’ll always have my memories like Bjork’s uber cute thank yous or that moment when Morello bust out some finger tricks on his guitar or Zach shouting, Bragg dissing Bush and Howard in a revised version of Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards and Kate Nash blowing me a kiss (I can dream can’t I?).
About a year or so back, I was a hardcore WoWhead. I basically wasted my time dungeon crawling and looking for l33t gear so I could smack more monsters. Along my travels in this virtual realm, I chanced upon many spectacular sights. A lot of stuff that had nothing to do with the game. A lot of stuff I glean off this highly nerdy crowd that lived in front of computers. Sort of like me really. Computers and cooking hoods. Yes that’s the life.
Anyway, in WoW, there are guilds that call themselves the Knights of Ni on every single server. Doesn’t matter if its RP or non RP, there’s always a guild called the Knights of Ni. Then I learned about Monty Python and stuff but never really got into it.
Then in Melbourne, after shopping around and just wanting to do something, I decided to watch a musical based on Monty Python and The Holy Grail, Monty Python’s Spamalot. We bought the cheapest seats we found, much to our delight when we got a free upgrade before the show commenced. We paid 45 bucks because the next tier was 80 bucks muahahaha.
Spamalot is a lot like the film off which it is based, according to my knowledgeable friend who stumped out another 45 bucks for a Black Knight plush toy. Removable limbs included. It does take some liberties and spends a lot of time riffing on pop culture stuff but it is pretty much true to the original. The version I watched is the Australian version, so it also riffs on Aussie things, like Neighbours and stuff.
I have to say that I’m sore I missed this sort of bullcrap in my childhood. This shit is too funny. Hilarious really. Its bloody English, very random, highly nonsensical yet throughly logical. I enjoyed it immensely and recommend everyone to catch it if you get a chance to.
Filed under: Drink
Finally, after 27 years of living, I have tasted the sweet nectar that drove van Gogh to both delusion and genius.
Absinthe is freely available in Australia which is cool no doubt. But only at Cookie in Melbourne did I see not one but many types of absinthe. We looked at the list and picked the ones with the highest prices haha! Great cos we picked authentic French ones in the end. I tried a Lemercier 45% which was outstanding. Before I went down to the place, someone told me it tasted like Listerine but that’s crap. Liquorice, aniseed and tasty in my mind. Its a herbal liquor with very wonderful qualities. My friend had the 72% one which was a whole lot more alcohol, you definitely get it all in the nose even before you quaff it.
A quick google on the Wormwood society’s absinthe forums reveals I had a decent quality commercially available French wormwood which I thought was fine, great even.
I guess its all about the mystique you know, that making people insane, the Moulin Rouges, the whole French thing. The process itself is great as well. You basically get a small glass, fill it with some absinthe and put the absinthe spoon over it with a cube of sugar on top. Wet the cube with a touch more spirit and set it on fire to caramelize and improve the flavor. Then dilute with a touch of water, stir the sugar into the alcohol and enjoy. I might be a sucker for over the top, gimmicky rituals but this one has got sense & sensibility attached to it.
Even if you removed all the cultural, historical, artistic background to the liquer; in a matter of speaking, I’d still hit it.
Melbourne was awesome. I suppose if you’re going with the perspective that you’re on holiday, then its always gonna be fun. So yea Melbourne was awesome.
I stayed at a backpackers which was alright. The only thing I really cared about was its location, right in the middle of town and within easy reach of transport and shops.
My first impressions of the city were architectural. The style is an interesting one that contrasts a distinct modernity with the older, more colonial style. Southern Cross station was quite enjoyable in this respect. Its massive and the roof resembles a dinosaur’s spine. Federation Square was pretty cool as well. A lot of the buildings certainly looked artishly modern. Sculptures were all over the place and very prominent. I remember these huge red and yellow square tubes that leaned over the highway as I left the city toward the airport. Sorry, didn’t take any pics, saving space and battery for BDO.
The mood of the city was different as well, in part due to the architecture. I was puzzled whenever I saw people driving, stuck in the middle of the street, just before they turned. I thought “Were all Melbournians such poor drivers?”. Then I realized it was their special, quaint system of turning because the middle of the roads have to allow for the trams so people have to sort of wait on the edge before turning. (Seeing it makes a lot more sense) The walkways were wide and the one thing I loved about the city was how easy a walking city it is. In contrast, Sydney is a fucking nightmare of hills. The vibe was distinctly laid back, no doubt abetted by the fact that it was Australia Day. The trams and horse carriages also lent an interesting feel to the city and everyone seemed like they were having fun.
I didn’t get to check out all the city had to offer, definitely didn’t eat at any top places but that’s all for the better, so I get to go down again hehe.
I enjoyed Espy @ St. Kilda immensely. My friend calls this “The place where any Melbourne act worth its salt goes to cut its teeth”. When I went down, I got to check out a band called Little Red, which plays with a very 50s backing melodies feel regardless of which of their 3 lead singers is on the mike. They call it Doo-Wop punk on their myspace. Very nice.
Cookie was awesome as well. Something like 15 types of absinthe and a bajillion beers just to start with. The competent bartender can also craft something special just for you. I could also just mention the fact they have Leffe and Erdinger on tap.
Shopping in general, I never got the feeling that there was just one store that was the best or anything like that. Instead, there’s just many small, cool shops and you just had to know where to go or maybe I was just clueless because I procrastinated over writing down addresses and printing a map.
Fitzroy – Nice vibe to the place. One long street, Brunswick, with some nice stores. Dropped into Fat which was the only fat I went to. Also had a kick ass Honey Pecan tart at Babka. My friend had a very impressive Tarte Tatin and I also had some very intense smoky Russian tea. The Shins played in the background as waitresses with kooky haircuts strut around. Mmm.
Flinders – Nice and tight. Chiodo was massive! Bobby’s Cuts was a nice space even if their selection of stuff was quite poor. Pity they didn’t have those YMC shoes in my size. Nice Hem & Haw stuffs there.
Alphaville – I liked this place. Their own stuff was cool.
Someday was quite lovely too, with Pam, Neigborhood stuff. I liked one of the Porter bags but didn’t feel like spending quite that much.
All in all, I loved the city and hope I’ll be back sooner rather than later. Cheers Melbourne!
Intrigued I am, having just caught No Country For Old Men, directed by the Coen brothers. I never knew it was so well received until now, getting home and checking the web. Although I have read a coupla thumbs down that appear to be impulsive, the majority of critics rate this movie.
Some (a supreme minority) berate the film for it being violent without reason or simply too nihilistic and depressing. I found it rather existentialist really. For me, it was more about finding your way through life and accepting it for what it is, brutal and cold.
Josh Brolin plays a cowboy, Llewellyn Moss, who stumbles onto 2 million dollars in a suitcase. He then gets chased relentlessly by Javier Bardem’s Anton Chigurh, the indefatigable villain of the piece. Tommy Lee Jones plays a wizened retiring sheriff who follows onto the trail.
I have to admit. At times, I found the film naggy and even boring. The slow bits weren’t excruciatingly so for me, but they were slow enough. The intension was to provoke thought and intensify the mood and suspense, but for my tastes, I coulda skipped a few of the sermons on the continued degradation of societal mores in contemporary Western culture. That’s probably my 3 minute pop song loving alter ego speaking though.
I’m not really familiar with the Coen brothers oeurve, and that is to my detriment, but I attribute it to a prejudice and lack of knowledge about things American. To think I actually did a short course in American history once in school. Yet, my shortcomings in this department do not mean I am unaware of the various issues the film appears to be discussing. I suppose the fact I don’t know too much about the Coens is also a good thing, since my thumbs up for this film isn’t down to fanboy voyeurism alone.
Then perhaps, it must be my sadistic inner self that enjoys the violence in the film. It is at once graphic and ludicrous, given Chigurh’s weapon of choice, a cattle gun. Powered by compressed air, he basically carries around a rather innocuous and cumbersome looking execution device. None of the killing is gratuitous though. It is exact and calculated, designed and minimalist. Chigurh is unrelenting in his rampage but he only kills to avoid implication and trouble. I admit I found myself laughing when Chigurh killed because I simply couldn’t believe anyone would be so emotionless when murdering someone, so careful. Still, I was at the same time revulsed by the violence which I’d suppose is part of what the film is driving at. This depiction of violence is fine by my book. Yes, it is gory, stylish even, but with every single killing, I get a greater sense of the film’s ideas.
Everyone who dies in the film dies because of fate. They’re simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or they’ve made a bad decision, even one made in good faith. This relates back to why I find the film un-nihilistic in every way. If it were, there’d just be senseless killing or a whole lot of nothing. No Country isn’t quite that empty. In the film, people die because Chigurh needs them to in order to preserve his own life. He is surviving as much as he is killing.
As inhuman as Chigurh might be at times, we are reminded of his mortality throughout the film. His tall frame, dark clothes and mop of a hairdo certainly serve to bewilder and aggrieve the viewer, delivering a sense of an unstoppable evil. Still, I thought he was quite stoppable and not quite evil. Or is that the optimist speaking? His fallibility is evident and he was as much a speck on the landscape as Moss or any other character, albeit one which does not care to kill someone.
Moss, the main character is the optimist. Faced with Chigurh, he keeps going even if it seems impossible. He tries his best, in the hope that he can give himself and his wife a better life. I found my sympathies going out to the man all too often and I’m sure everyone would easily identify with him. He is, in fact quite similar to Chigurh. Both do their darndest, their most natural, survival instinct based actions to get ahead. This part of the film, which details the thought out preparations for every encounter and situation are a sight to behold. It is man kicking and pushing with all his desire to stay alive.
The story though, is bound largely by Jones’ sheriff. He’s sort of on the edge. Involved in the action, yet removed from it as well. At one point, he consciously opts to get in but then again, realizes its already gone past him. He is the character the title references, although the “Old Men” refer to times gone by just as much. He is the law but he feels too old, too overwhelmed by the inexplicable violence that has de-sensitized him. This is the character that provokes the morality issues, the question of life getting cheaper. I got too much of it in the slow moments, where the film halts to allow Jones his speeches and symbolism. By the end, his Texan accent was as much confusing as it was offputting to me that I couldn’t remember exactly what he said. I got enough of it about halfway through though. I am rather impatient after all.
Overall, I have to say I enjoyed the film. It made me feel. It made me think. Its dark humor is certainly along my lines. The cinematography is also incredibly superb and the sounds haunting. They perfectly complement the strong acting and script. Its probably the best film I should’ve seen in 2007.
Is there a country for young men then?
I am so stoked. Yesterday was the first of the Big Days Out in the Gold Coast, basically Australia’s answer to Glastonbury. In my opinion at least anyway. This year’s Big Day O ut has got Bjork, Arcade Fire, Battles, Unkle, LCD Soundsystem and the reformation of Rage Against The Machine and me. I will be going! On Australia Day no less, 28th January 2008. Omg look at da numbas zomg da vincee codez!
Anyway, in 1 week, I will meet up with a friend in Melbourne to rock the fuck out. Also, I get to do some shopping in Melbourne, for which there will be a special report. But mostly, I get to rock the fuck out.
Why Melbourne? Well, basically, the same friend bought 2 tickets for Melbourne after the Sydney sales evaporated into thin air. He then conned me into buying the spare, so I then dutifully made travel and hotel arrangements because I would not pass this up, sucker that I am. Also, I get a holiday within a holiday and extend my reach to more of Australia. And haven’t you looked at the lineup yet? That alone is justification itself!
A Bodum French Press was always on one my “to buy” lists. I can now strike it off since I bought one a week ago.
This baby has rejuvenated my morning routine completely. Ok, so its not expressos and ristrettos but its still good coffee. I also plunged for a tin of Illy to go with it. Not because I’m a true believer of the Italian coffeehouse but because their tin looks so damn good and it perfectly matches my press pot.
Thing is, although I’ve always wanted one ever since I was old enough to realize Bodum and coffee existed in duality, I never truly understood its simplicity and beauty. The pot I got is the Shin Bistro, which is the most super ultra minimalist of all the pots available but they are all essentially the same. The clever thing I realize only now after fiddling round with one for a bit rather than just lusting from a distance is the remarkable design. The language and solutions are complete and total, quite beautiful from a technical standpoint as well.
Its basically a very simple handle design. A thin piece of metal clasped onto a pyrex beaker. The handle itself uses tension of the metal via some screws to grip onto the glass. It then forms a support nearer the base, which marvelously balances all the forces at play. The pyrex is easily replaceable and another benefit of the design is the ease of maintenance. Cleaning the contraption is dead easy as is using it. And everything sits on a nice little cork coaster.
Shopping in Sydney for clothes can be horrendous. Price wise that is. Stuff here is overpriced compared to what you’d pay in another cosmopolitan city. The selections available aren’t that great either and what Sydney sorely lacks is a fashionable mid market solution like Topman, H&M, Uniqlo or Zara. Even if there are uber-cool, niche labels, the stock is shrift. Instead, there’s a ton of overpriced, similarly stanced local brands with no guarantee of quality. The low end options resemble those you’d find in China only about 10 times more costly, which is absurd. Much of this is down to the inflated pay scales Aussies get to enjoy as well, but as a “poor international student”, I must voice my discontent.
Still, it has been half a year for me in Sydney, so I’ve gathered enough decent information to compile a list of places worth mentioning. This list is based off of superfuture’s Sydney essential shopping thread to begin with but I’ve sort of compiled it here and included lengthy anecdotes. This is largely for my own reference and in the hope that someone else far more enlightened might chance upon this and point me in the right direction.
I’ve included links where available for each store and also some of the Aussie labels. Some of which are really really cool. I’m only listing stores that I would actually step into myself and possibly buy something or at least lust after something.
I feel like the list is still quite empty. I’ve purposely left out a lot of mediocre stuff and most of the good streetwear because I’m moving past this sort of scene and only including the really good stuff that isn’t completely hype. I’m hoping that there’s more stores to add that are worthwhile.
Quality Japanese denim is completely missing, as are good quality dress shoes and perhaps more bespoke tailors that I don’t know about yet. And for the last time, will one of Topman or Uniqlo please please please open a store here? Or American Apparel with a complete range so I can try the shit on before I buy it. How come they can open a Melbourne store when the distributor is based in Sydney?
The KPNV’s Sydney Shopping List.
City. North – South.
David Jones @ Market Street – A department store it may be but this is where I copped my half priced Filippa K shirt. Another benefit of coming here is the food hall downstairs, which is pretty well stocked with decent grub. Second floor has got a wall of nudies, some Fred Perry, Filippa K, John Varvatos, Paul Smith, Jil Sander and Nicole Farhi. Great when there are sales.
HypeDC – Hype is a chain of shoe stores that stocks Asics, Nike, Adidas, Puma, Converse and Vans.
RM Williams – “The Bush Outfitter” as they call themselves. This is the Aussie cowboy store. Their dress boots are pretty spectacular.
Incu – Arguably the best store in Sydney. Here, you can get your paws on a lot of good labels, although everything is somewhat pricey. There are 2, one is in The Galeries Vic and the other is along Oxford Street in Paddington. A smattering of what they have on offer includes Filippa K, APC, nudies, Ksubi, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Raf by Raf Simons, Trovata, 2K tees, Band of Outsiders, Henrik Vibskov, Nice Collective, YMC, Umbro by Kim Jones… The list goes on. I also remember Kenzo Minami tees that went superfast despite a hefty price tag and I tried on Michael Young’s PXR watch to the realization that I didn’t like it.
*update* Incu @ TGV has expanded, looks like they’re doing well.
Brent Wilson – This store is next to Incu @ Galeries Vic and is a bespoke clothing store for guys. They have ready to wear stuff on the racks but also do custom work as well.
Darlo/Paddo. West – East.
Our Spot – A slightly more uppity Incu with less stock and just as high prices, Our Spot is generally empty (both in terms of stock and people) most of the time since its located in a quiet lane off Oxford Street. The Spot is also where you can find NdG, Rittenhouse, APC, Common Projects, Florian Denicourt, Beat Poet.
Via Alley – Via Alley isn’t so much a clothing store although they actually have some Surface to Air stuff, Graniph tees and Porter collabos. Nice to visit for quirky trinkets and small interior products.
Robby Ingham – One of the two ultra expensive men’s stores in town carries Maison Martin Margiela, Paul Smith, Neil Barrett, Marc Jacobs and Dries van Noten.
Purdy Klampet – Men’s and women’s leaning heavily toward Aussie labels. Thousand Reasons, Love Thy Neighbour.
Ksubi – One of the hippest Aussie labels, they have a standalone store in Glenmore Road off Oxford Street in Paddo and another one in Bondi.
Assin – Newly opened along Oxford Street, this Melbournian import is the other ultra expensive men’s store in town. Probably more expensive as well, considering they stock Dior Homme, Comme des Garcons, Ann Demeulemeester, Undercover, Rick Owens, DRKSHDW…
Surry Hills. North – South.
Crown Street Shops – There’s a couple stores here that might be of interest. Some are vintage clothing resellers whilst others are more kooky stores with a distinctly Aussie vibe. Last time I was there, Dobry Den seemed like an interesting place although they had next to no guy’s stuff. Their website is down for whatever reason.
Capital L – A store that has a ton of girl’s stuff and not much guy’s but they have some Ksubi and Claude Maus.
Somedays – This is basically little Scandinavia and they stock Julian Red, Cheap Monday, Gram, Dr. Denim amidst some Aussie labels.
Orson & Blake – There are 2 stores and the one on Riley Street has got some guy’s stuff. Its a concept store filled with furniture and interiors as well as men’s and women’s fashion in the basement. A mix of local and international labels.
*update* orson & blake are closing down or so I’ve heard.
When I have the time, I will make my own Google map for this and post it up.
Filed under: Design
How lovely is this Monolith vase by Setsu & Shinobu Ito? Check out their Crystals series of yellow vases in the same vein. From the same guys that brought you the uber cute, ultra organic, Au seating set.
