Back home

[skyring]

I'm back after a weekend trip to Melbourne to deliver Ken home. Ken and The Canberra Times came to ending their relationship, which also had the effect of ending my daily rides with Ken - a little dose of joy each night.

I'm sure I'll see him again, but I'm going to remember these past few months as some of the happiest of my life. Rarely have I met anyone quite so witty, well-informed, thoughtful and friendly as Ken.

We drove down the Hume. I took us out of Canberra, but soon I had to hand over to Kerri, fading away in the back seat while Ken read aloud from a book of travel stories. I took over again somewhere north of Melbourne, and we navigated the various freeways and link roads down to Langwarrin.

Warm welcome there, dinner and an early night.

Next morning a late breakfast, and then we headed up the road to the National Gallery of Victoria. The international collection, which it's been a while since I saw it. I love the Australian gallery so much it's hard to turn away.

A Modigliani, a green Picasso, some nice nudes, and some mouth-watering Impressionists. I think I liked a Pissarro of a street scene best. It was dull and grey and cloudy, but it was Paris, unchanged in a century.

A fantastic lunch in the gallery restaurant. Expensive, but well worth it for the food, the company, the setting and the wine. An Astrolabe Marlborough Sav Blanc. A glass of New Zealand paradise.

Only a glass. It was a long drive up the Hume.

We got home before midnight. and i've a shift to drive this afternoon.

Comments

((((((((((((((((((((Pete))))))))))))))))))))))))

[discoverylover.livejournal.com]

Bad luck having to say 'goodbye for now' to so many friends in the last week!

Hopefully my newest icon will make you smile ;)

Re: ((((((((((((((((((((Jay))))))))))))))))))))))))

[skyring.livejournal.com]

Heh! Smiling broadly.

But you know that - I've been playing your song almost continuously.

[awaywithfairy1.livejournal.com]

If you drove down on Saturday, you arrived in Melbourne the same day I left!

Did you get a chance to see the new John Brack exhibition at the NGV Australia in Federation Square? It opened on Friday and I only just managed to squeeze in a visit. I only really knew one of his paintings before visiting ("Collins St, 5 p.m") but saw several pieces that I loved. I think he's become my favourite Australian artist!

[skyring.livejournal.com]

I think John Brack would have to be my favorite Australian artist. I glanced through a book of the exhibition in the bookshop, and nearly bought it. I saw a lot of his portraits in a retrospective last year before the NPG moved out of Old Parliament House and I was impressed with his style. The later works, with the pencils and cards, are fascinating. But it's his self-portrait I like best.

[awaywithfairy1.livejournal.com]

I liked several of the ballroom dancing paintings and also the portraits of his four daughters (entitled "First Daughter", "Second Daughter" etc). "Third Daughter" looked so grumpy it was hilarious!

[skyring.livejournal.com]

I know the one! In fact I've got a small print of it somwhere. Looks just like my daughter at that age when she'd put on her grumpy face.

[holmesfan.livejournal.com]

Astrolabe! Gizmopuddy introduced me to that NZ wine and what a welcome introduction it was. A little out of our general quaffing range but something to think about for special occasions.