Melbourne Metblogs » mel_lisa

Crystal perfect…

mel_lisa — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 01:36:12 +0000

Went to see Billy Crystal on Sunday - was absolutely awesome! 700 Sundays is direct from Broadway (they asked Crystal where he wanted to take the show - he could have gone anywhere - but he chose Australia because he loved his visit in 94′) and it deals with the death of his father when Crystal was 15. It’s title came from the amount of Sundays (the day his father had off to hang out with him and his older brothers) Crystal worked out he had with his father.
The first half is VERY funny with Crystal describing the attributes of his eccentric Jewish family. The second deals with how his father died, and the burden he had to carry around with him afterwards.
The thing that was so extrodinary was Crystal was up there by himself for 2hrs and 40 mins (with a 20mins intermissing between) with only the outside of a house as a backdrop (he showed pictures of his family on the houses windows) - and he made everyone tear up one minute, and pissing themselves laughing the next. AND I wasn’t bored or distracted once - and it takes a bit to hold my attention folks!
He plays at the State Theatre till the 4th of March. Go to http://www.ticketmaster.com.au/artist/702567?tm_link=tm_arts_f1 for details!

Ghost Rider in Melbourne

mel_lisa — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 21:30:32 +0000

Photo taken from http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/melbourne-in-frame-gives-filmmakers-flaming-headache/2007/02/14/1171405295249.html
If you’re sick of seeing movies that are set in New York and LA, why not go see the new Nicolas Cage movie Ghost Rider and catch a glimpse of our beautiful city? For six months in the first half of 05′, the movie was shot on a Docklands film studio, but 80% was shot around the city. Apparently you’ll see Telstra Dome, Southbank, the showgrounds, the Melbourne cemetery, Melbourne Uni and the Treasury Gardens - although the movie is set in a “nondescript town in Texas.”
Cage plays an Evil Kenivel type stunt bike rider who gives up his own soul to save someone he loves.
It is the most expensive movie ever to be shot in Melbourne (with a budget of 150 million), and is opening two days earlier than it’s US release.

Step away from the brick wall!

mel_lisa — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 02:37:43 +0000

View image
If you are a graffiti artist in Melbourne, you may be hearing this next time you set about on your next work of art -”We are watching you, recording your actions and the evidence could be used in any legal action.” Apparently the Hume coucil and also Connex are sick of vandalism, and are thinking of taking other measures to stop it. As graffiti costs up to 100 million dollars a year to clean up, I don’t blame them!
A camera will sense movement and sound and emit a warning. It has been very popular in Europe and the States, they cost 6 thousand each and are cased in bullet proof plastic.
I think there are a lot of things that could go wrong with these cameras, but certain areas (Fitzroy being one of them) are just covered in crappy tags and I think something needs to be done to ensure our city doesn’t look like a kids colouring book. I really dig good graffiti - that is art, but tagging is just stupid. - Comments ppl?

Freddo Frog creator R.I.P.

mel_lisa — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 18:37:05 +0000

I know this is a bit late in reporting, but I think it is an important event…
On the 24th of January the man who created the iconic Melbourne chocolate bar, Freddo Frog, died at the age of 94 in a nursing home in Melbourne.
Harry Melbourne (yes, his last name matches our fair city…) at the age of 18 was working for MacRobertson chocolates in 1930 as a chocolate moulder when he overheard his boss saying they were about to create a new chocolate in the shape of a mouse. Melbourne suggested his boss tried a frog instead, as women and children are scared of mice and therefore wouldn’t want to sink their teeth into something resembling it.
And thus - the Freddo frog was born! MacRobertson’s was sold to Cadbury in 1967, Cadbury created the Caramello Koala because of Freddo’s popularity.
Now Freddos have become Australia’s most popular childrens chocolate (98 million are sold in Australia each year!) and can be found in many different flavours besides it’s original plain milk chocolate. Flavs include - white chocolate, peppermint, and strawberry (but milk choc is still the best by far my friends!)
Melbourne recieved no royaltys for his contribution to the company, but he didn’t mind, he said his idea was because of his, “loyalty to the company.” Loyalty that lasted even to his funeral - his coffin was covered with a Freddo frog flag.

Big Day Out - out today!

mel_lisa — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 20:08:12 +0000

(Taken from - http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/01/30/1107020263399.html)

Well folks, as I write this one of Australia’s biggest music festivals is under way - the Big Day Out has been rockin’ out since 11am this morning at Princess Park. Line-up includes - Tool, Muse, Violet Femmes, local boys Jet, The Killer, My Chemical Romance, The Streets, and Peaches (who I saw at the 04′ BDO and was AWESOME!)
I’m not there this year cos’ no one really interested me (except for maybe Violet Femmes & Peaches)
Anyone go this year?

Australia Day activities…

mel_lisa — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 22:05:06 +0000

It’s not just a public holiday people! The 26th of January is a day to celebrate our awesome country and everything it contains. So, what will you be doing this Australia day?
Well, today the Australia Day website has released it’s list of events ( - Check it out here! - http://www.australiaday.vic.gov.au/events_melb.asp ) that start on the 24th of Jan.
If you want to see a very cute sight, head down to the Yarra on Australia Day to see around 30,000 yellow rubber duckies floatin’ along….Why? To celebrate 100 years of Surf Lifesaving Australia.
You can adopt a duckie for $5 which will automatically put you in the draw to win a new Mitsubishi car. All proceeds go towards lifesaving activities.

Faking it

mel_lisa — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 21:17:16 +0000

After spending some time in New York, I realised how much better our public transport could be. More stations, with more stops reaching a furthur distance. Sure, I know, it is New York we are talking about - the second biggest city in the world and THATS why their trains are so damn fast and pretty much no one owns a car (cos’ they don’t have to)
Well, seems like a number of people feel the same way I do, because someone has made a fake Connex train map and circulated it via e-mail.
The map shows extensions to 10 lines - Werribee, Glen Waverly, Pakenham, Epping, Broadmeadows, Melton, Doncastor, Flemington racecourse, Sydenham and Alamein. It also includes stations at Knox city and Chadstone shopping center, and stops on certain lines that stop at North Fitzroy, North Carlton and Melbourne Airport!

Connex and Metlink people are obivously pretty peeved about this, a spokesman from Connex said that the map is like a letter to Santa Claus - so a wanted gift that probably will never happen. A line to Doncaster was suggested in the 60s, and 40 years later we still don’t have it. Maybe if we all write Santa we want one this Christmas he’ll get it for us?

The customer is always wrong…

mel_lisa — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 22:09:21 +0000

For those of you that deal with customers (mainly I think those of us who work in hospitality and retail) will not find it very surprising to hear the findings from a team of Sydney academics. Apparently customer rage is getting worse and worse and staff aren’t to blame! It depends on the persons personality trait on how easily it is for their temper to flare up.
The study has interviewed 50 people - both customers and staff, and have found that people are more likely to get angry after they have felt disrespected on a number of occasions. So, I guess all the horrible customers I get may not just be horrible people, but horrible people that have been treated badly!
Here are some of the incidences, that I got from the Age website that highlights some very bad customer rage -

■A man who was not allowed to return an unused can of paint drilled a hole in it and carried it dripping around the store.

■A woman who wanted to swap baby formula at a chemist became angry, returning later to spray the formula over staff.

■A man, told his electricity would be disconnected when his bill was eight weeks late, threatened to blow up the power company’s headquarters.

■A woman whose light mocha was not stirred properly poured it on the counter.

The full findings of the survey are to be released in 2008.

Murray drying up.

mel_lisa — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 21:57:11 +0000

2006 is the driest year for the Murray according to the Age website. It would have stopped flowing all together if storages from the upper catchments/weirs/locks were used from the lowest part of the river. The river would have been, “reduced to a series of pools at bends in the river.” so says Murray Commison general manager David Dreverman.
This is another sad example of how much our country is suffering with the drought. John Howard has called it the, “worst drought in living memory.”
Read more at - http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/drying-up-murray-on-the-brink/2007/01/03/1167777154122.html

Get ya’ sneak on…

mel_lisa — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 22:08:25 +0000

For all you sneaker freakers out there (me included) you will be happy to know that there is an ultra cool exhibiton at the NGV. Everything from Converse, Adidas, Nike, plus special editions from the likes of Peter Saville, Marc Newson and Philippe Starck are on show. Not only is this an exhibiton of sneakers, but the cultures it has touched upon, so I’m guessing that hip hop and rock n’ roll will play a part in the display.
I haven’t seen it yet, but am busting to go along to it. It started on the 16th of Decemeber, and goes right through to the 8th of July. Best of all - admission is free!
Check it out at - 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne.
NGV: Sneakers