In the Realm of the Senses

Their website is one of the most beautiful bits of web design I have ever seen, and you should go there now just to check it out (compare how crappy their Myspace site looks.) The brochure I picked up the other day says:

“Featuring a mish mash of live roving performers; DJs spinning a vast array of eclectic tunes; Visual Projections by hi.tek.trash; Healing and chill out zone; Random acts of kindness; Tasty mouth watering food; ‘El Rancho Relaxo’ bar; BYO couch, beanbag, blankets”. (1300 361 574)

The Park Hotel duly celebrated its third birthday on April Fool’s Day with a party as advertised, though the sign outside said the party was cancelled due to lack of interest. There was a jazz band, lots of bright young things, and films, then, apparently, DJs.I had a high quality chicken parmigiana which cost $16.50. I photographed it for you:

There was an eclectic collection of short films introduced by a very tall man who I think is named Sean. They ranged from true public service announcements exhorting American kids through the vehicle of music video to respect their moms, black and white warnings from last century to schoolboys against the depravity of homosexuals who have an “illness which can’t be seen”, Gollom’s acceptance speech for best virtual character at the MTV awards, a spoof interview of Elijah Wood by one of his fellow Hobbits posing as a German interviewer, to the winning entry in a competition for film editors to make a trailer out of a movie promising as different as posssible a movie as the actual source movie.

The weather was not on their side, which explains the apparently thin crowds in the photos of the band, and perhaps also the melee of bright young things in the back bar:

Now I do like a bit of Chinoiserie moderne, and it’s a la mode right now in newly degrunged pubs and quirky Japanese cafes alike. The Park Hotel is a truly excellent pub in Abbotsford, which manages to be grungy and degrunged at once, down Nicholson St a bit from the Retreat Hotel on the other side at no. 191 (9419 4352). It has copies of Truth lying around (and I thought defamation writs had shut it down, but it seemed to have morphed even more into a racing tabloid), itself more kitsch interior decor than true fodder for the regs probably but then I’m not sure about that, and a good beer garden, with a pool table. Its kitchen serves up tasty tucker and its prices are reasonable. One time, its taps had broken down and they were selling stubbies for the price of pots. That was a good day. Its present incarnation’s having its third birthday on April Fool’s Day, and, unless they’re joshing, there’s going to be fillums ‘n all. [I can't find any evidence on the internet of The Truth being extant, but that doesn't mean anything. I did find this interview of a former editor though, in which the rag is described as something read by folk who won their money on the racing pages and spent it on the brothel pages, and in which it is recounted that a Mr Justice Innes described it in the 1890s as "a wretched little paper reeking of filth". I also learnt that it broke some serious stories, including what happened at Maralinga with the A bomb blasts. Those were the days, when it would sell 400,000 copies a day.]

On my twirls along Yarra Boulevard this morning, I found out about Yarra BUG, a kind of community cell of Bicycle Victoria folks from Abbotsford, Alphington, Burnley, North Carlton, Clifton Hill, Cremorne, Collingwood, Fairfield, Fitzroy, North Fitzroy, Princes Hill and Richmond. They are leading the campaign for the removal of the Gipps St steps, those dreadful steps which cyclists and walkers need to descend from Gipps St heading away from the city and towards the Convent, the Children’s Farm, and Dights Falls. People coming from any of those places and heading towards the Botanic Gardens and the City, nead to dismount and push their bikes up little concrete channels next to the stairs.

The BUG is in the process of incorporating. Until then, membership is free. They are increasing the number of social rides they arrange, the next one being from Dights Falls to the Docklands. They meet at 7.30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month at Suede (284 Smith St). The contact is Chris on 0407 825 467. To sign up to their newsgroup, send an email to yarrabug-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

Their website (set up as a Wordpress blog like this one incidentally) is a treasure trove of information. Who would have thought that the Celluloid Cycles Film Festival was coming up on 6-9 April? I learnt to my dismay that I had already tired myself out too much too early to join today’s World Naked Bike Ride (and its afterparty at a secret location). Damn.

Thanks go to Jim Skia of Rio de Janeiro for the magnificent photo.

Here’s the latest from In the Realm of the Senses short film festival in 12 days’ time:IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES 06 – BREAKING NEWS!

The countdown is on and with only 12 days to go until the 3 day short film and music festival extravaganza that is In the Realm of the Senses 06.

Everyone should have received an email this week to encourage you to ’spread the word like wild fire’ by nominating 2 – 5 friends that the festival is fast approaching. By doing so you will be in the running for 75 double passes + 10 festival passes (unlimited access). Get cracking!

Below is an introduction to what’s happening over the 3 days. Go to In the Realm of the Senses for more detailed info on programming, how to get there, purchase tickets etc

Friday 10th March – – 
Presented by Cafe Saffron
Gates open 5pm