amber's dove blog

The wonderful Amber Lush from bricks + cartwheels has been busy blogging over in Dove land. Her blogs are definitely worth a read! Check them out by clicking HERE. You can also see Amber's Q & A with the Dove team. Great work Amber!

bikini's

Today feels surprisingly like spring is coming, the sun is shining and the sky is blue. Its just too exciting, here's hoping it lasts. It's the perfect time to start searching for the perfect bikini, and I've found a few....... below is a sneak peak at the new sol bellow summer 08 range by the oh so talented Sophie Daley. 

Aren't they great?! I'm in love with the red cherry bikini..... must put in my order. Not only is Sophie an up and coming bikini designer she is also a very talented photographer, some of her new work was blogged about at follow studio, check it out here. The new sol bellow range will be up on the website soon, be sure to have a look!

a hand up, not a hand out!

Yalari is giving Indigenous children from remote communities around Australia a first class education through full boarding scholarships. Yalari has a target to raise over $20 million to support Indigenous students over the next ten years.

They provide programs which break the cycles of poverty, abuse or other misfortune. They believe that by educating a child you ultimately make the world a better place for all - isn't that the truth!

Yalari is a not-for-profit organisation founded through a partnership between Indigenous educationalist Mr Waverley Stanley and investment banker Mr Philip Latham.

The spirit of this organisation is summed up by its byline - "It takes a whole community to educate a child." Great stuff!

sometimes i wish.......

...... i was a florist and got to play with lovely flowers like this lucky lass. Aren't these just beautiful. Sara from the cool blog saipua is one very talented florist, I wish a bunch would land on my desk or door step. 

the clean, official, efficient font

I couldn't help myself- tonight I was alerted to a documentary on SBS - 'Helvetica' - my favourite font. I have an almost obsessive love for the font, and it's one I try to use on all bricks + cartwheels correspondence- much to the ridicule of the others! Loved and hated alike by graphic designers, it's been used for American Airlines, American Apparel, the EPA, The Beatles album covers amongst millions of others. As I say, if I could marry a font- it would be Helvetica! Don't you love its 'cool slickness' too?!

Melbourne trip - art deco exhibition

One of the bricks + cartwheels gang along with a few friends spent a great 5 days in Melbourne last week. There was so much to see and do, we shopped, ate, drank, visited art galleries and walked a lot. There is something about Melbourne that is so interesting and fun. The laneways throughout the city could be explored for weeks on end I'm sure. The highlight of the trip was definitely our visit to the NGV to see the Art Deco exhibition that is on at the moment. 

The exhibition was huge and full of absolutely beautiful and inspiring things. It really explained how Art Deco covered a huge range disciplines from painting to architecture, fashion, home wares, cars and much more. It was also very interesting to see how Art Deco was influenced by different countries, cultures and people.  I would say it is worth a trip to Melbourne purely to see this exhibition. It was excellent! More Melbourne tales to come...... 

If you never ever go, you’ll never ever know!

So that slogan endorsed by none other than Darryl Somers is well past it’s used by date but it still rings true. On a recent trip we discovered the rare beauty and deep rooted culture of the Northern Territory. Here are a few highlights...

Ubirr at sunset is a sight to behold. Located in the East Alligator region of Kakadu National Park, it is famous for its rock art. The panoramic views are breathtaking, not to mention the exquisite art which in some places is a mind blowing 40 000yrs old… hard to comprehend.

Injalak Arts + Craft Centre at Oenpelli aims to promote and preserve the indigenous art and culture of Western Arnhem Land. Located at Gunbalanya, a small Aboriginal township the centre was opened in 1989. As a non-profit enterprise any income stays within the community and assists in its development. It is managed by an incorporated Association whose members are the artists and community. The Associations major emphasis is on cultural maintenance and economic self-determination. Such a fantastic initiative and with no doubt the best place to purchase bark paintings and woven pandanas baskets – it is chock a block full of beautiful artwork.

Architecture viewing is always a part of the itinerary and the Bowali Visitor’s Centre didn’t disappoint! If you can believe it the gutters were one of the outstanding features… Designed by Glenn Murcutt and Troppo Architects this building is a long 168m. In true Troppo style the building offers a close relationship with the bush setting through its wide verandahs, rammed earth walls, ironwood floors and natural stone features. The roof line and east west orientation encourage airflow – in temperatures of +30degree heat and 90% humidity it is amazing you feel comfortable under its eaves.

What is so important is that they worked very closely with the traditional land owners. Local contractors were employed and local Aboriginal associations sourced all the materials including the extensive display items that you can explore and learn of the country and its people. It is so pleasing to witness the results of a building which has originated from a community consultation process - and it is a success!

blog love

The lovely Pia, from the wonderful blog Enhance the Everyday has recently written a lovely blog about us here at bricks + cartwheels and our talented friend Felicity. We love Pia's blog and its high on our list of must reads everyday. We're so overwhelmed she reads our blog let alone mentioned us on hers, so thanks Pia! We hope you enjoy Sydney, shame about the dreary weather.... 

Pia's blog is always updated with cool and interesting treats from around the globe so make sure you check it out. Above are some of Pias photos, a little peek to inspire you to click onto her blog. 

It's daffodil day!

How lovely to see the sunny daffodils dotted around the city on this wet grey day that is daffodil day - a day to celebrate the spirit of cancer survivors and their families, carers and medical specialists, bringing hope and goodwill for the future of all Australians touched by the disease.

Viewville

Viewville is an online source for gallery quality photography prints. It is a surprise to find prints that are so affordable and still unique. These photos are so beautiful and are from the personal collections of professional photographers.

Here's my favourite called fenestration...

A farm in the city!

How exciting would it be for city children to see first hand where an egg comes from! Or to participate in growing produce rather than seeing it only in the supermarket! This is one of the many visions of those involved with the Sydney City Farm project at Callan Park.

Callan Park you ask? Well, it is situated at the site of the Rozelle Hospital. It is a 62 hectare picturesque park that was designed using nineteenth century therapeutic landscaping and gardens - it includes undulating waterfront parkland and views over the cove, heritage gardens and buildings and one of the few remaining beaches in the Inner West. There are numerous derelict buildings ready to be reused... and the organisation behind City Farm know exactly what they want to do with them!

City Farm is a not-for-profit Incorporated Association. This means the farm will belong to all its members in the community and any income generated is required to be reinvested in the ongoing work for the community. It will be an organic farm and environmental management showcase, modelled on city farm projects in New York, London and Melbourne.

The vision for the farm has been described as a green sanctuary to showcase an eco-friendly future in the heart of Sydney. It would be a way for metropolitan people to engage with the local and global ecological challenges together as a community. People can come together to grow organic food, learn about the latest in water-saving techniques, climate-friendly renewable technologies, and more...

Callan park before...


and after!

Visit here to read more about the future plans for Callan Park - become a member and show your support for this future sustainable centre!

OzHarvest

One of the bricks + cartwheels ladies alerted us to this fantastic program after passing their stall at Live Green on Sunday.

Founded in 2004, OzHarvest is a non-denominational charity that rescues excess food which would otherwise be discarded. This excess food is distributed to charities supporting the disadvantaged and at risk in Sydney and Canberra.

OzHarvest currently receives food from 175 regular and a further 290 ad hoc food donors. Food is donated by all the major law firms within the city and Parliament House on a regular basis. Large corporate offices, tourist operators, function centres and caterers all contribute to the 75 000 meals OzHarvest delivers every month. Not only do they deliver food to those in need this process saves excess perishables from being dumped as landfill. Win win all round!

If at anytime you are aware of anyone throwing away excess food- just give OzHarvest a call on 9516 3877.

For more info about this food rescue initiative visit here.

bill + his big issue

It always makes my day when Bill is selling The Big Issue on the corner of Foveaux St and Elizabeth St. He is one of a kind! He greets you with a big smile and is always on for a chat. So dedicated to the job is Bill, he even donned his festive gear, santa hat included to celebrate Christmas in July last month. His trolley is possibly the best in the business too! So look out for Bill - i have seen him over the years at Sydney Uni also - i am sure he pops up all over the city...

If you do happen to purchase this month's Big Issue you may very well have bought the five millionth copy! Where it is sold, who sells it and who buys it will remain unknown. That is five million magazines sold since its beginnings in 1996! The magazine has stayed true to its original idea of producing a general interest magazine that directly helps the people who sell it. So a BIG congratulations to The Big Issue and their 310 editions!

'Through Your Eyes' Homeless exhibition

What a great project this is. 'Through Your Eyes' is a collaboration between the City of Sydney, the Pine Street Creative Arts Centre and people who are homeless in Sydney.

The photographic presentation is on from 1 Aug - 1 Oct at Albion Place, near George St Cinema - laneway between Kent and George Streets.

The display is based on the theme - "What does where you live mean to you?" The photos are taken by those who are homeless, so it provides a powerful insight into living a life on the streets of Sydney. There is a short documentary film on also - you can view it here. Tough gig...

sneak peek

The bricks + cartwheels team succesfully ran and finished the city2surf on the weekend. It was a great day and there will be more photos and stories to come. I just couldn't resist posting this as soon as possible. This photo was featured in the Sydney Morning Herald and shows 2 of our wonderful runners having a great time, running their hearts out. A final tally of funds raised and exciting snippets from our day will be up soon, so stay tuned.

the table for 20 verdict

So we LOVE Table for 20. The space is beautiful, the food is excellent and the concept is just so cool. All the staff are lovely AND a percentage of their profits go to the Hope Street mission, which is around the corner in Surry Hills. $80,000.00 so far.... we will definitely be going back. It's the most understated restaurant/bar i've ever been to so don't tell too many people!
Photos above were taken by the lovely Flea during our dinner.

Live Green 08

Live Green is on again this year on Sunday 17th August, Victoria Park, Camperdown.

From the words of Lord Clover Moore: "More than 10,000 people attended the first Live Green event in 2007 and this year’s program promises to offer more innovative and simple practical actions you can take to reduce your environmental impact and help make our Sustainable Sydney 2030 vision a reality."

Program highlights include cooking with Kylie Kwong, panel discussions on green careers and "green washing". Workshops with practical eco hints and tips, a green bar with naturally brewed beer and organic and locally grown food and produce..... and plenty more!

Approximately 50% of what Australians put in their garbage bin is organic waste. When buried anaerobically in landfill this waste produces methane gas and causes over 2% of Australia's annual greenhouse gas emissions. Our house has newly acquired a worm farm! (Thanks to City of Sydney's Waste Education Officer Kath) Now all our kitchen scraps and garden waste is turned into rich fertiliser! You can see this process in action within the Waste area at Live Green where a giant worm farm will be used to collect food, paper, cardboard and bio degradable waste from the event.

Have a look at City of Sydney's Zero Waste campaign - Visit the Zero Waste stall and do the interactive recycling quiz to pick up a free bag made of 100% Reused City of Sydney banners. See the display of Reuse product designs by the College of Fine Arts and cast your vote in the People's Choice Award for the best idea.

So get along to Live Green this sunday! It promises to be a very educational day!

table for 20

A few of us (the not so sick ones) are trying out this restaurant tonight for a friends birthday. It sounds pretty interesting and cool. One table for 20 people only. They say they don't do trendy, or restaurant reviews or promotion. Just feeds for locals.... the owners think it's important for people to share a meal together. I think it sounds great and we'll be sure to report back. Although with only 20 places each night it might be better to keep this one a bit quiet.... shhhhh!

car. bus. bike

These photos show the space needed to transport the same number of people. By car, bus or bike...... very cool huh? Something that should be shared around for all to see. Found this at A Cup Of Jo, the images are from Germany. Smart Germans.

we're dropping like flies

Almost all of us bricks + cartwheels girls have been sick this past week.... I don't know what's wrong with us but we're having some time out and resting up for the big day on Sunday. This dark room looks kind of inviting right now. This beautiful photo from here.

kickass models

At one stage or another during uni we were all quite obsessed with David Chipperfield. We had a lecturer who used to work for him in London, so we were shown alot of his work and told all about how great he is. We really fell for it.....

Chipperfield - Centre of World Cultures, Goteborg 1999

How could you not really, his work is amazing and is models are just beautiful. I think we spent a whole semester (or 2) trying to make models like his. Luckily we had a pretty good woodworkshop at uni.

Chipperfield - Figge Arts Centre, Davenport 2000-2004

Chipperfield - Royal Collections Museum, Madrid 1999

I'm not sure where these images are from, I think Georgia scanned them from a book a few years ago, maybe an El Croqui? Architecture books are always better than anything you find on the internet.... so as G labelled them for me a few years ago, these models really do kickass.

jeans for genes day

Today is jeans for genes day! This girl is wearing awesome jeans. I forgot to wear jeans today, but i bought a lovely gold badge at the station to make up for it. Check out the website to see how you can donate or help. Its a very worthwhile cause.