Saturday, September 29, 2007

Daniel and the City





























Movies and tv shows always show you the glamour and excitement of Manhattan, so I found it quite fascinating to stroll the streets of Brooklyn to experience a different side to New York.

My headache was pounding, I felt like my temperature was taking a little stroll into the mid-forties and I was coughing like I'd just polished off a carton of Marlboro reds for breakfast, but there was no holding me back from a visit to Manhattan...









The Empire State Building and Times Square had me gagging for more, but nothing, and I repeat, NOTHING, gets even close to the tingles I got at the Apple Store on 5th Avenue. They are building one very similar in Sydney opening next year... The lucky ducks!

And finally I crawled up in a ball on the lush lawns of Central Park, my antibiotics and pain relief all but worn off - begging for the gift of teleportation to take me back to the hotel. Alas, I am not Hiro Nakamura, and it was not to be :( But still a wonderful day. I only wish I had company and less deathy radicals in my body...

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Daniel's Top 10 films - first half of 2007

number one
"...an unexpectedly original, entertaining, laugh-out-loud adventure..."


number two
"...an eerie, mysteriously captivating journey into the mind of a war child..."



number three

"...bold, brass, show-stopping Hollywood glamour that kept my toes a-tappin'..."



number four

"...one dares one to take a three-minute bathroom break during this and not regret it later..."



number five

"...it may have left out half the book, but no other HP film has captured the spirit like Phoenix..."



number six

"...if friendship and imagination are remotely important to you, the tears will flow, trust me..."



number seven

"...sincere, uplifting, touching...and completely filthy-minded. The unexpected box office gem of '07..."



number eight

"...the first Pixar-less Disney venture into computer animation is a triumph in many ways..."



number nine

"...it's Drop Dead Gorgeous meets Strictly Ballroom in the funniest Oz comedy in 12 years..."



number ten

"...who'd have thought that 19th Century Austria could bee so darn interesting..."

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Renovation Rescue 2007

Talking about doing stuff. Doing stuff.

This is probably my number one area of development in life. However I am not alone.

Franck and I have talked about painting our apartment for over a year to no avail. Finally, with the help of Mr Colour himself - Mr Mazurkiewicz - we decided to bite the bullet and pull our fingers out.

Colours were chosen, walls were prepped, beers were chilled, and away we went. Marcos, Peter and myself. Franck was conveniently out of town, lucky for him!




Looking rather bland, we were ready to rock and roll. This was the manliest thing I'd done all year!




Peter and Marcos get involved. 'Twas the key to success I felt!


Man, do I have the bestest boy in the world or what?!

Now it's slowly taking shape as the hours drag on and the enthusiasm begins to die!


....and now, the final product!






Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Only in Dubai!




About a month ago, Nicole's parents and sister came to visit and for the first few days, Nicole was away on a trip so I had the pleasure of being tour guide. First stop: Ibn Batutta Mall - one of the world's biggest and certainly most interesting malls. It is on the outskirts of Dubai which will one day be the centre of all the action. The mall is divided into sections which have been themed to be different parts of Asia and the Middle East: China, Egpyt, Persia, India etc. Here are a few happy snaps...








Now get your backsides to Dubai to come see it!